Doorcheck



' v 1,612 904 J 4 1927' J. P. BRENNAN DOORCHECK Filed July 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOHN P. BRENNAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

noononnex.

Application filedJ'uly 26,

This invention relates to door checks, and has for one of its objects the provision of a check which will function to apply a uniform force during a portion of the door closing operation, and then to apply an increased force during another portion of the operation. The increased pressure is intended to be applied when the door is almost closed in order to exert sufiicient force to operate the door latch. I

Another objectis to make a door check which operates to produce the desired increase of pressure at the proper time without necessitating the use of resilient members which are apt to weaken and to require adjustment from time to time. In this connection, however, my invention contemplates a construction wherein the pressure exerting members may be readily adjusted to suit any particular installation.

The preferred means for carrying'out my invention is illustrated in the drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical section thru a door check embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken thru the door check on a plane indicated by the line 22 in Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sections showing different positions of the operating mechanism during the door closing operation.

My invention is shown as being mounted within a metallic housing 10, which has a cover plate 11, removably attached thereto. \Vithin the housing, I provide a carriage 12, which has a partition 13, extending from one side to another, and which divides the carriage into two weight receiving compartments indicated at 14 and 15 respectively. The carriage as illustrated is suspended by links 16 and 17 the lower ends of which are pivotally connected at 18 and 19 respectively to the carriage and the upper ends of which are pivotally connected to arms 20 and 21 respectively. The arms are arranged to be swung about the axis of a shaft 22 whenever gears 23 and 24, mounted on the shaft, are rotated.

To rotate the gears 23 and 24 in unison and in opposite directions I have shown a bevel gear 25 which is rigidly mounted on shaft 26. This shaft is journaled in the top of the housing and is shown as being fastened to one end of a link 27, for enabling the connections between a door and frame to be made in the customary manner.

The weights 29 in the compartment 14 are relatively stationary while those indiin the compartment 14.

1926. Serial No. 124,831.

cated at 30 in compartment 15 are adapted to be moved as a unit with reference to those I utilize this relative motion for providing an increased force near the end of the closing operation in order to provide necessary power to overcome the resistance of the latch. In the preferred form the unit indicated at 30 is supported upon a washer 32 which rests upon the housing partition when the door is closed. A vertically extending member 33 passes thru openings 34 and 35 in the bottom and top walls respectively, of the housing and also thru an opening 36 in thepartition. That portion 37 shown in Fig. 2 above the partition and also the portion 38 beneath the bottom wall of the housing may be smaller in cross-sectional area than the portion 39 be tween the bottom wall of the housing and the partition. In this way the member 33 is provided with shoulders 40 and 41 respectively, which are adapted to engage washers 32 and 42 respectively. The washer 42 functions to support the weights 29 as a unit whenever the member 33 is raised with reference to the housing, as indicated in Fig. 3.

When a door to which my device may be operatively connected is closed, then the carriage and the associated weights are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As the door is opened, the carriage is raised until it reaches the limit of upward movement indicated at Fig. 3. Then after the door is released the carriage descends until the member 33 isbrought, into engagement with a roller 45 which is mounted upon a member 46 which in turn is pivoted at 47 to the housing. Normally this member is caused to' stand in the position shown in Fig. 3 whenever the weights are above the member and out of engagement therewith. The bottom portion of the member being weighted as at 48 tends to hold the member in upright position. A second roller 49 also carried by the member 46 is adapted to be engaged by a shoe 50 on the bottom of the carriage as shown in Fig. 4 at approximately the same time at which the member 33 engages the roller 45. The weights in the lower compartment being heavier than those in the upper compartment tend to swing the member 46 to the position shown in Fig. 5 where the weights in the upper compartment are indicated as having been moved with relation to those in the lower compartment.

This reduce the speed of the closing operation n'iomentarily until the roller 45 clears the edge of the member 33 and thereby releases the upper weights which then fall by the action of gravity and thereby impart an added momentum to the closing force. The weights are so proportioned that this force is sutiieiently strong to effect closing of a door. The relation of the weights and carriage to the tripping device is shown in Fig. 2 when the door is closed.

A door check made in accordance with my invention may be readily attached to a door frame and may be readily adjusted to suit the pressure requirements for any particular door by arresting the motion of one weight with reference to the other, I can obtain an increase of closing pressure or force just before the door is closed. The increase is sufiicient to overcome the resistance of the door latch.

I claim:

1. In a door check, the combination with a casing, of a pair of weights movably mounted therein, and means for so mounting the weights that they may be moved with the same velocity during a part of the door closing movement, and with relative velocity during another part of the door closing movement.

2. In a door check, the combination with a frame, of two vertically movable weights associated therewith, and means associated with the frame for arresting the motion of one weight while allowing continued motion of the other during a portion of the door closing movement, whereby the force acting to close the door may be reduced before the end of the closing movement.

3. In a door check, the combination with a casing, of two vertically reciprocable weights therein, one of said weights being carried by the other, and means associated with the casing for lifting one weight from the other and then dropping it during the door closing movement, whereby a variable closing force may be imparted to the door.

4. In a door check, the combination with a frame, of two vertically reciprocable weights associated therewith, and a tripping device for arresting the motion of one of the weights and then releasing it before the end of the downward stroke.

5. In a door check, the combination with a casing, of two movable weights mounted therein, one of said weights being normally mounted upon the other, and a tripping device associated with the casing, said device being arranged to lift the upper weight from the lower and then to release it, whereby the upper weight may strike the lower before the end of the door closing operation.

6. In a door check, the combination with a casing, of two vertically reciprocable weights therein, said weights being arranged to move with equal velocity during the upward stroke, and to move with variable velocity during a portion of the downward stroke, so as to impart a variable force during the door closing operation.

7. In a door check, the combination with a casing, of a movable weight mounted therein, and means associated with the easing for retarding the motion of the weight and then releasing it during the door closing operation, whereby the door closing force is diminished and then increased before the closing operation is completed.

8. In a door check, the combination with a casing, of a carriage mounted for vertical movement therein, a weight mounted on the carriage, and a tripping device pivotally mounted on the casing and arranged to lift the weight off the carriage, and then to drop it onto the'carriage during the door closing operation.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN P. BRENNAN. 

